Apparatus for the rapid, stepwise transport of a strip

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for the rapid, stepwise transport of a strip, comprising a yoke carrying at one end a roller and at its other end a rapidly responsive braking element. Means are provided for controlling the tilting of the yoke, the yoke being arranged such that in one of its tilted positions it transports of feeds the strip through the action of the roller and in its other tilted position it blocks the strip owing to the action of its braking element.

O United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,724,736 Warnez 1451 Apr. 3, 1973 [S4] APPARATUS FOR THE RAP), [56] References Cited STEPWISE TRANSPORT OF A STRIP UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] invent: Guy Wamez, Luceme, switzer'and 3,002,671 10/1961 Brumbaugh et a] 226/39 11x 2,851,676 9/1958 Woodcock et al ..226/l45 X [73] Assignee: Establissement Microfilm Automatic Data Processing, vanduz, Liechtem FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Stein 725,613 3/1955 Great Britain ..226/39 22 F1 d: l 28 1971 1 l c y Primary ExaminerAllen N. Knowles [21] Appl. No.2 166,708 Attorney-Werner W. Kleeman [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for the rapid, stepwise transport of a Aug. 4, 1970 Sw1tzerland ..1l768/70 strip, comprising a y y g at one end a roller and at its other end a rapidly responsive braking ele- [52] 226/145 1 2216/39 ment. Means are provided for controlling the tilting of [51] lllt. Cl- ..B65|l 17/44 the yoke, the y being arranged such h in one of [58] Field of Search ..226/144, 145, 146, 147, 148,

its tilted positions it transports of feeds the strip through the action of the roller and in its other tilted position it blocks the strip owing to the action of its braking element.

4 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure APPARATUS FOR THE RAPID, STEPWISE TRANSPORT OF A STRIP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for the rapid, stepwise transport of a strip or the like.

It is known that for the transfer of data onto a film strip or onto a magnetic tape which are wound-up between two spools, or conversely, for the reading and playback of data stored upon such strip or the like, it is necessary to repeatedly interrupt the transport of such strip. In order to reduce as much as possible the downtime or dead period between two transport or read-out operations attempts have been made to transport the tape between two standstill periods with the greatest possible speed. Yet this presents delicate problems if there is to be effectively prevented tearing of the strip during the frequent and sudden stopping operation to which such strip is subjected and in order to ensure for the exact stopping of the strip and again placing such into movement in the shortest possible time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention therefore has for one of its primary objects to provide an apparatus for the rapid, stepwise transport of a strip or the like which fulfills these requirements in a most simple, efficient, and reliable fashion.

Another and more specific object of the present invention relates to an improved construction of apparatus for the rapid, stepwise transport of a strip rendering possible conveying of the strip with the greatest possible speed, while nonetheless ensuring for a precise and sudden stopping of such strip at the desired locations without subjecting it to the danger of rupture.

Still a further significant object of the present invention relates to an improved apparatus for the rapid, stepwise conveying of a strip in a safe and reliable fashion through the use of mechanism which is relatively simple in construction, extremely satisfactory in operation, not readily subject to breakdown and requires a minimum of servicing and maintenance.

Now in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention, which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the inventive apparatus is manifested by the features that there is provided a tiltable element constituted by a yoke, this yoke carries at one end a roller and at its other end a rapidly acting or responsive breaking element. Means serve to control tilting of the yoke, and the yoke itself is arranged in such a way that in one of its tilted positions it transports the strip through the agency of the roller and in its other tilted position blocks the strip through the action of the braking element.

In the context of this application the term strip" is used to denote typical forms of information carriers or carriers which can be impressed with varied types of information, such as film strips, magnetic tapes, bands or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING paratus for the rapid, stepwise transport of a strip or the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now the drawing, in the single FIGURE it will be understood that reference character B designates a strip which may be assumed to be either a film strip or a magnetic tape or band upon which there has been stored in succession information or data. This information or data is to be read or played back, and for instance may be in the form of a sequence of microfilm pictures, each of which is provided with an identification code which can be read by a suitable reader during rapid transport speed of the film, and as soon as coincidence exists with the code of the microfilm picture desired to be retrieved stopping of the strip B is controlled in such a way that the desired microfilm picture or frame will be located at the correct position for reading or reproduction, for instance, will be situated along the optical axis of any suitable reading apparatus or copying apparatus. Such apparatus has been schematically indicated by reference character 2 and its optical axis by reference character 3. On the other hand, the strip B could be a virgin strip and intended to be impressed with the desired data and information by means of a suitable data applying apparatus again indicated by reference character 2, and the axis of which is again indicated by reference character 3.

In all of the situations discussed above it is necessary to halt the strip B at the region thereof which is equipped with the data to be read or copied or at the region which is to be provided with data, as the case may be, in a very exact position with respect to the axis 3 of the relevant apparatus 2. Furthermore, it is desired that the feed or transport of the strip B between each two successive stopping operations thereof be undertaken with the greatest possible speed inorder to reduce to a minimum the dead time between two reading operations, reproduction operations or information storage operations.

Now the apparatus construction of this invention is quite capable of efiectively fulfilling these requirements. The mechanism renderingsuch possible will be understood to embody a tiltable element, here shown in the form of a tiltable mounted yoke 4, the pivot or tilt axis 5 of which is defined by the shaft 5a of any suitable motor schematically indicated at reference character 5b. This drive motoris advantageously of'the type having a very low mechanical time-constant and an equally low moment of inertia, for instance is an electric motor 5b. having a laminated winding and planar magnet air gap. The motor 5b can be operatively connected with any suitable electronic control, schematically inicated at 30, by means of which the rotation of the motor 5b in the one or the other rotational sense can be controlled, depending upon whether the strip is to be transported or stopped, as will be more fully discussed hereinafter. The specific construction of the motor is not crucial to the invention provided it fulfills the general mode of operation discussed above and more readily apparent from the description to follow. Drive motors capable of imparting a selective tilting movement in one or the other direction to a tiltable element are well known in the art.

Now the tilt axis or pivot axis 5 of the yoke 4 extends transversely with respect to the lengthwise axis and the direction of transport of the strip B and its position is chosen such that even a very slight rocking or tilting of the yoke 4 causes the one or the other end thereof to come in contact with the strip B. It will be seen that one end of the yoke 4 carries a small roller or roll 6 which is mounted to be freely rotatable at such end. The other end of the yoke 4 carries a web 7, -which conceptially may also be viewed as constituting pins as considered shortlythe length of which essentially corresponds to the strip width and extendstransversely with regard to the lengthwise axis of such strip. As a variant construction it would be possible to form the web 7 by two or more pins or plugs. Now situated opposite such web 7 or opposite such pins or plugs and facing the opposite surface of the strip B there is located a stationary countersupport 8 formed by a mass having a high frictional resistance. As can be readily seen from the drawing the surface of the web 7 and which surface confronts the strip B is constructed to possess a convex configuration so that, when this surface 10 is pressed against the surface 9 of the countersupport 8, the strip B is not only clamped between the surfaces 9 and 10 but additionally is bent out of its own plane. This increases the braking and blocking action. In order to obtain this effect it is possible for the countersupport 8 to be formed of an elastic mass or material, the normally flat surface 9 of which, under the action of the pressure which is exerted thereagainst by the convex surface'l0 of the web 7, accommodates itself to the shape of the convex surface 10. On the other hand, it is also possible right from the start to impart to the surface 9 of the countersupport 8 a concave shape which is contrary to the convex shape of the surface 10.

Continuing, it will be understood that reference characters 11 and 12 designate two rollers having their respective axis in substantial parallelism with one another. Here also any suitable and therefore non-illustrated drive means are provided in order to drive these two rollers 11 and 12 with the same speed or with a slightly different speed, yet in opposite rotational directions, as indicated by the applied arrows visible in the drawing. Further, guide elements l3, l4, 15, 16 and 17 are provided for the strip B and serve to guide such strip along a predetermined path of travel between the surfaces 9 and 10 of the braking mechanism or device and also at the direct region of the surface of the roller 11 and past such roller 11, without there occurring any positive contact between the roller 11 and the strip B. Additionally, the roller or roll 12 is constructed such that it can come into contact with the roller 6 and place such into rotation when the tiltable element or yoke 4 is located in one of its tilted positions, as will now be described.

Having had the benefit of the foregoing discussion of the preferred construction of inventive apparatus for the high-speed, stepwise transport of a strip, the mode of operation of the described equipment will now be considered and is as follows: when the motor which controls rocking or tilting of the yoke 4 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction of the single FIGURE of the drawing then this yoke 4 is rotated into the depicted tilted position. In this position yoke 4 presses the web 7 against the counter-support 8 and therefore blocks the strip B in its guide between both elements 7, 8 of the braking mechanism or element. At the same time that the yoke 4 assumes this position the roller 6 carried thereby bears against the roller 12 and is placed into rotation owing to the driving action of drive roller 12. Since in this position the roller 6 is out of contact with the strip B the latter is actually suspended in the air current which has been generated by the rotation of the roller 11 and the roller 6 which bears against the roller 12. In this standstill position of the strip B it is thus possible to readily either store information or data upon the strip, in the event such is a virgin strip, or else it is possible to read-out or copy data and information which has been storedupon the strip, the relevant data or information then being positioned at the optical or working axis 3 of the relevant apparatus 2. It is to be here mentioned that the apparatus 2 is located at the direct region of the web 7 which blocks the strip B, namely between the web 7 and the peripheral surface of the entrainment roller 1 1.

Conversely, when the drive motor which controls tilting or pivoting of the yoke 4 is rotated in the clockwise direction of the drawing, then, the yoke 4 presses the strip B through the agency of the roller 6 against the entrainment roller 11 and at the same time the web 7 is rocked out of the zone of contact with the strip B and therefore releases such for its transfer movement. The strip B is then immediately transported owing to the rotation of the roll or roller 11. Since the roller 6 has been placed into rotation by the roller 12 up to the moment of tilting of the yoke 4, this roll 6 possesses a rotational speed at the moment where it presses the strip B against the roll 11, which essentially corresponds to the peripheral speed or velocity of the entrainment roll 11. This then assists in a rapid acceleration of the strip B in a most delicate manner.

Since the rollers or rolls 11 and 12 can possess rather great peripheral velocities and the displacements of the roll 6 and the web 7 are maintained very small, in reality the maximum spacing between the roll 6 and the periphery of the strip driving and entrainment roll 11 can be maintained very small and only differs by a slight amount from the actual thickness of the strip B itself. Owing to these measures it is possible to transport, through the use of the illustrated apparatus of this invention, a film strip or a magnetic tape or the like, of relatively considerable length in a very short period of time.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims. Accordingly,

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the high speed, stepwise transport of a strip, comprising a tiltable element having a pair of opposed ends a roller carried at one opposed end, and a rapidly acting braking element carried at the opposite end of said tiltable element, said tiltable element being a yoke, said tiltable element being selectively tiltable into one of two tilted positions, said tiltable element when assuming one of its tilted positions transporting the strip through the agency of said roller and when assuming its other tilted position blocking said'strip through the action of its braking element, said braking element embodies a web provided at one end of said yoke, a stationary countersupport cooperating with said web, said web pressing the strip against said stationary countersupport when said yoke has been rocked into said other tilted position, said countersupport and said web have respective cooperating surfaces configured to deform the strip out of its material plane when the strip is blocked by said braking element.

2. An apparatus for the high speed, stepwise transport of a strip, comprising a tiltable element having a pair of opposed ends, a roller carried at one opposed end, and a rapidly acting braking element carried at the opposite end of said tiltable element, said tiltable element being a yoke, said tiltable element being selectively tiltable into one of two tilted positions, said tiltable element when assuming one of its tilted positions transporting the strip through the agency of said roller and when assuming its other tilted position blocking said strip through the action of its braking element, said roller mounted at said yoke being mounted to be freely rotatable at said one opposed end, a strip entraining and driving roll positioned to cooperate with said freely rotatably mounted roller, and wherein in said one tilted position of said yoke, which brings about transport of said strip, said freely rotatably mounted roller of said yoke urges such strip into contact with the peripheral surface of said entrainment and driving roll having a peripheral speed which substantially corresponds to the transport speed of the strip, movement of said freely rotatable roller into contact with said entrainment and driving roll releasing the blocking action exerted by said braking element, a driven roll mounted opposite said entrainment and drive roll, said freely rotatably mounted roller of said yoke being arranged between both said driven roll and said entrainment and drive roll, and wherein in said other tilted position of said yoke which corresponds to the blocking of the strip, said freely rotatable roller is pivoted into a position which is out of contact with said strip and releases the prior contact of said strip with said entrainment and drive roll, said freely rotatable roller then being placed into contact with the surface of said driven roll which is driven in the opposite rotational sense as the entrainment and drive roll.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said driven roll is driven at the same speed as said entrainment and drive roll.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said driven roll is driven with a different speed than said entrainment and drive roll. 

1. An apparatus for the high speed, stepwise transport of a strip, comprising a tiltable element having a pair of opposed ends a roller carried at one opposed end, and a rapidly acting braking element carried at the opposite end of said tiltable element, said tiltable element being a yoke, said tiltable element being selectively tiltable into one of two tilted positions, said tiltable element when assuming one of its tilted positions transporting the strip through the agency of said roller and when assuming its other tilted position blocking said strip through the action of its braking element, said braking element embodies a web provided at one end of said yoke, a stationary countersupport cooperating with said web, said web pressing the strip against said stationary countersupport when said yoke has been rocked into said other tilted position, said countersupport and said web have respective cooperating surfaces configured to deform the strip out of its material plane when the strip is blocked by said braking element.
 2. An apparatus for the high speed, stepwise transport of a strip, comprising a tiltable element having a pair of opposed ends, a roller carried at one opposed end, and a rapidly acting braking element carried at the opposite end of said tiltable element, said tiltable element being a yoke, said tiltable element being selectively tiltable into one of two tilted positions, said tiltable element when assuming one of its tilted positions transporting the strip through the agency of said roller and when assuming its other tilted position blocking said strip through the action of its braking element, said roller mounted at said yoke being mounted to be freely rotatable at said one opposed end, a strip entraining and driving roll positioned to cooperate with said freely rotatably mounted roller, and wherein in said one tilted position of said yoke, which brings about transport of said strip, said freely rotatably mounted rollEr of said yoke urges such strip into contact with the peripheral surface of said entrainment and driving roll having a peripheral speed which substantially corresponds to the transport speed of the strip, movement of said freely rotatable roller into contact with said entrainment and driving roll releasing the blocking action exerted by said braking element, a driven roll mounted opposite said entrainment and drive roll, said freely rotatably mounted roller of said yoke being arranged between both said driven roll and said entrainment and drive roll, and wherein in said other tilted position of said yoke which corresponds to the blocking of the strip, said freely rotatable roller is pivoted into a position which is out of contact with said strip and releases the prior contact of said strip with said entrainment and drive roll, said freely rotatable roller then being placed into contact with the surface of said driven roll which is driven in the opposite rotational sense as the entrainment and drive roll.
 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said driven roll is driven at the same speed as said entrainment and drive roll.
 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said driven roll is driven with a different speed than said entrainment and drive roll. 